This invention relates to a temperature indicator for a motor vehicle arranged to indicate, to the driver of the vehicle, the ambient temperature either inside or outside the vehicle, the temperature indicator comprising thermochromic material applied to a reflective member of a rear view mirror and positioned so as to be visible to the driver of the motor vehicle.
FR-A-2386028 discloses a temperature indicator of this type in which the mirror glass of an exterior mirror has a coating which is clear and transparent when a threshold temperature is exceeded and which becomes opaque or coloured at temperatures below this threshold.
According to the invention, in a temperature indicator of the type described above, the thermochromic material is arranged in a line, locations along which are arranged to change colour at successively increasing temperatures.
The successively increasing temperatures may be in accordance with a standard scale, for example xc2x0C.
The invention also provides a rear view mirror having a temperature indicator of the type described above.